Thigh High Boots
by Midnight Auroua
Summary: Rogue has a lot of concerns: the Avengers, the X-Men, and the Marauders are on her tail and her boyfriend is acting unlike himself. It leaves no time to decide on what sort of boots to wear. Sequel to Long Black Gloves.
1. The Prologue

**Oh my god. It's here. **

**It's finally here.**

**The first chapter. The prologue. The teaser. The promise for more to come. Of course, I have to remind you I make no promise about how frequent the updates will be. I am stuck in real life and whatnot. But I promise, I will update when I can. I'm excited for this story. Especially this first chapter. I hope you all like my little tease. **

**So I hope you enjoy it and please be patient with updates. I promise, they will come. **

**XXXXX**

Rogue flopped down on the bed, choosing not to think about how filthy it was. She ground her teeth in frustration, hating everything about where she was at.

She hated that she was sore. She hated that she was tired and only had a vague idea of where she was. She hated that she was hiding away in a rundown motel. The kind of motel where the walls are paper thin, the rooms small and unclean. The kind where people go in a pinch, out of desperation. The kind of motel where unsavory, illegal acts take place. She hated the way the bed had creaked and moaned under her weight when she sat down.

She hated that tomorrow would be no better. She hated that she had left a woman unconscious on the ground, having drained her. She wondered if she was okay. If she would be okay. If she was in a coma. If she was, she wondered how long she would stay in one. She wondered how long she would have the woman's powers. She could feel them surging through her. It was not like when she absorbed someone like Remy or Scott. She could feel their power. Remy's warmed her. Scott's burned her eyes.

Whatever she had taken from the woman earlier that day was something that was more subtle, but she was aware there was strength behind it.

She just wished they would go away already.

Rogue also wished she could get the woman's thoughts out of her head. Now that some time had passed, she was able to suppress them with more ease, but they were still there. A whisper in her mind. She wished the whispers would shut up.

Feeling herself on the verge of some sort of emotional breakdown, she pulled her knees up to her chest.

She hated that so many emotions were swirling around inside of her and she had no clue how to stop or control them. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. She wanted to punch something. She wanted to sob. She hated that her emotions were in such a whirlwind. She hated that she was supposed to have a source of comfort and he was doing a damn poor job of comforting. She lifted her green eyes to look at Remy, who stood on the other side of the room, leaning heavily against the opposite wall.

More than anything, she hated Remy for doing this to her.

She watched him, the picture of ease. That was not unusual. He was always at ease. What was odd was how…detached he was. Did he care so little for what he asked her to do? Did he not realize what they had done? What it was doing to her? Or did he not care?

In that moment, Rogue hated Remy.

It was as if he were someone different. So set on his mission he stopped having regard for…anyone. Even her. So unaware of her spiraling emotions. So far away. Physically and emotionally. It was true they had been fighting a lot lately, but this was something utterly different.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched her boyfriend dig into the pockets of his duster and pull out a carton of cigarettes.

"I thought you quit," she said, finally breaking the silence that had settled between them.

He glanced at her briefly. "'M stressed. Give ol' Remy a break."

She just stared at him as he lifted a single cigarette to his lips. Then she watched as his hand returned to his pocket, pulling out a lighter. He flicked it open and a small flame appeared. He carefully lifted it to his cigarette, lighting it before he took a long drag.

Rogue tilted her head watching him. Something….

Something wasn't right.


	2. The Misbehavior

**Wow. I posted one really short chapter and got just over twenty reviews. The amount of story and author alerts and favorites I got was touching. I cannot believe you guys really love this series so much. Either way, I am infinitely grateful. **

**Hawaiian Snow: There is a hint of her in there. **

**Ulcaasi: Shhh…. You're onto me. **

**whitechocolate14: You're onto me too. Shhh….our little secret. **

**Nicola Wayward: It's cool that you haven't reviewed before. I always appreciate them but it's nice to know that you're reading this. **

**NaruSasu66: Shhhhhh…..**

**Zany and Chellerbelle: Thanks for always sticking with me, you guys. You're so crazy loyal. **

**Thanks everyone. Here's your second chapter! **

**XXXXX**

It took some time. It some practice. But Anna-Marie, the mutant more commonly known as Rogue, could finally say she was graceful.

It wasn't really an easy accomplishment for the X-Man. But constant combat practice did a lot for her balance and ability to step lightly. Soon enough, she learned to walk without stomping while still wielding a muscular grace. There was still an air of "don't mess with me" but it was softer. More feminine.

And following her horrible encounter with Nathanial Essex, Rogue had stopped wearing her Gothy make up. She had been wearing it less frequently as it was, but following the brutal battle and a few tender words from her boyfriend, she had stopped coating her face in heavy eyeliner and purple lipstick completely. And what started out as apathy turned into habit (with a little bit of nudging from her boyfriend) led her to grow her brown and white locks out. The waves nearly fell past her shoulders. The beauty that was once hidden beneath dark make up and layers of clothing had finally been revealed to the world.

Now Rogue was a beauty who was awed at for more than just her hand-to-hand combat abilities. She only scarcely noticed, but she noticed. She saw herself changing and was as baffled as she was pleased with her slow transformation. By the time she had finished healing from several injuries following her fight with "Mr. Sinister," she was finally able to see that she was as lovely as Remy had been telling her.

But she could still totally kick some ass if she felt so inclined.

Anna-Marie, the mutant known as Rogue, was graceful. But the newfound grace did nothing for her when she was trying to don her new leather uniform for the first time. Her newfound grace did not stop her from flopping on her bed like a fish out of water, grunting as she tried to pull the tight leather over her hips.

That was the one thing she hated about new uniforms. The leather would eventually be a perfect fit for her, but the first time putting it on, it was impossible to move or breathe in. It was like breaking in new shoes, but on a much larger, tighter scale.

She thought putting her new uniform on would be a glorious moment. It should have meant that all of her horrendous injuries had healed and she was finally allowed to go back into combat with the rest of the X-Men instead of being sidelined like she had been. Even Remy had been back to Danger Room practices and a few small missions with the rest of her teammates. And _he _had taken longer to get better than they originally presumed; the chemicals in his system took longer to expel than they thought. Meanwhile, she sat on the couch with her arm in a cast, healing from having it snapped like a toothpick. Putting on the new uniform she should have meant she could once again join Remy and the X-Men.

But instead it meant sucking in her barely existent belly and wiggling about awkwardly on her bed, trying to pull the blasted thing on.

After more swearing and grunting than what should have been necessary, Rogue managed to pull the all black, one piece she would be wearing into battle for the foreseeable future on. She tugged the zipper, which started just below her belly button up until she was all tucked away. She exhaled, relieved. She planned on just lying on her bed, wiggling her limbs until she and the uniform were friends. And swearing.

Lots and lots of swearing.

She closed her eyes and tried to think happy thoughts. This immediately led her to Remy, her beloved and always annoying boyfriend. That thought lead her to wondering where the hell he was. He had been missing for a while now.

"Oh god, he's robbin' someone blind," she groaned.

As if he was just waiting for the moment his name flitted across her thoughts, there was a knock at her door.

"Roguey," he called out from the other side, his voice sickeningly sweet.

"What?" she barked from where she laid sprawled out on the bed.

"Let Remy in."

"Since when does Remy knock?"

"Since right now."

"Just come in, Swamp Rat."

"_Non_." He knocked again. "Open the door."

"_Non_," she mocked.

"But I got a surprise for you."

"Just come in," she growled. But she was already rolling awkwardly in an attempt to get back to her feet.

"Jus' open the door, _Cherie_."

She called Remy a very rude name, finally getting both her feet on the ground.

"I'm insulted, Roguey," he said sulkily. She could just imagine his pout. "I don't like your implication. Remy would never do somethin' like that wit' his mother."

She waddled over to the door, unlocking it and swinging it wide open. Even before she laid eyes on him, she was glaring at him.

"What?" she snarled.

Then she saw what. And the glare melted off her face as her jaw dropped open.

"Oh my god," she breathed. With a little bit of a struggle, Rogue lifted her hand up so she could run her fingers through Remy's auburn locks. "You cut your hair."

His eyes slid shut at her preening. He nodded happily. "_Oui_. Everyone kept tellin' me I needed to. So I got one. Do you like it?"

Rogue marveled at it. She had never seen Remy without hair falling past the nape of his neck. Now it was a gentlemanly but still boyish crop, with one persistent strand falling into his forehead. She once thought such a drastic cut wouldn't be attractive on him but it showcased his strong jawline. Brought more attention to his absurdly handsome face. And there was still enough of it for her to get a handful of and tug on.

Whether or not the tug would be a pleasant one generally depended on her mood and how annoying he was that day.

"I take it you do like it," he said, smirking that infuriating smirk.

It took her a moment to find her words. "I do."

His eyes shamelessly roved her from head to toe. "And I like your new uniform. It looks very nice on you."

He stepped into the room. Over his shoulder, Rogue noticed Lorna about to step into their shared bedroom. The green haired mutant was none too pleased when Remy closed (and locked) the door in her face.

"Hey!" Lorna pounded on the door with surprising strength for such a small girl. "Not fair."

"Not now," Remy barked back, not taking his eyes off Rogue.

She called both of them a name and it sounded as if she lightly kicked the door, but eventually Lorna stomped off. Rogue was not looking forward to dealing with her later that night. But that was not her main concern. Her main concern was the look Remy LeBeau was giving her as he eyed her like a man full of a hunger that did not relate to food. She took an awkward step backward.

"Is this your first time tryin' it on?" he asked conversationally, taking a step toward her.

Rogue nodded, taking another step back. "Yeah, and it took me forever to get on."

"Hmm." He took another step forward. "I wonder how long it would take for me to get it off."

He reached out for her zipper. Rogue tried to take another step back, surprised when the back of her legs thumped against her bed. Desperate, she slapped his hand away. Remy gave her an incredulous look.

"No you don't, Cajun," she warned, wagging a finger at him. "It took me forever to get this thing on and you are not gettin' it off."

He grinned, reaching out to grab her. When she went to step away, she found herself flopping awkwardly (and gracelessly) onto her bed. She looked up at Remy standing above her. Though he rolled his eyes, he laughed at her. It was a godsend when he took a seat beside her instead of continuing to attempt to get her out of her uniform. Not just because it would be way too much of a struggle to get out of it, but she probably wouldn't be able to resist him if he truly pushed.

After all this time, one would have thought she would have been able to tell Remy LeBeau no.

But he behaved (for the time being) and took a seat next to her. "I like it, Roguey."

"Thank you, Swampy."

He smirked at the name, looking down at their feet. He gently nudged her foot with his. "But whatcha gonna wear on your feet?"

Rogue glanced down. Though Remy was wearing combat boots, she was barefoot. She wiggled her pale toes, her red nail polish flashing in the light.

"Are you gonna wear knee high socks?" he probed, poking her with his toe. "'Cause I think you should wear knee high socks."

"Those ain't really appropriate for combat, Rems," she reminded him patiently.

"Ah, but the enemy would be distracted by your infinite sexiness."

"I'm pretty sure that you're the only one with a weird sock fetish."

"It's not a fetish. It's an appreciation. And you still haven't said what you're gonna wear on your feet."

"You distracted me!"

He waved her off. "Details. So what are you gonna wear?"

Huffing, Rogue pointed to a shopping bag sitting at the other side of her bed. Obediently, Remy reached over and set it down between them. Rogue reached inside and pulled out one long, all black and expensive looking boot. Remy let out a long whistle.

"This?" he asked, shocked. "These are thigh high boots."

Rogue shook her head. "No. But this is what Kitty bought me. She thinks that there's no reason to not look 'fabulous' while fightin' off terrorists."

"Can't say I disagree," he murmured, still inspecting the thigh highs. Rogue elbowed him in the ribs.

"Maybe you and Kit wanna go into battle lookin' like America's next top model, but I rather go in lookin' like a fighter. That's what I'm there to do. There's no reason for thigh high boots when I'm shoving my foot up Magneto's—"

"Language, Roguey," he interrupted.

"The point _is_, I'm probably just gonna get a pair of combat boots and call it a day."

Remy pouted. "You're no fun."

"So I've been told."

He perked up instantly. "That's okay. I love you anyway."

"Gee. Thanks."

"Even if you won't wear knee high socks and thigh high boots on missions."

"If I wore both, you wouldn't even be able to see the socks."

"But Remy would know they were there. And that knowledge is more than enough."

He winked. She rolled her eyes. He continued.

"I love you even if you won't let me get you outta that delicious uniform."

"I'm still breakin' it in," she reminded him. He ignored her.

"I love you so much, I'm willin' to invite you out tonight."

Rogue looked at him with a raised eyebrow, intrigued. "Out where?"

"As a little celebration 'bout you and I finally 'llowed back to fight wit' the rest of the X-Men," he said, not really answering her question. He slipped a hand behind her head and gently pulled her toward him until their foreheads were pressed together. In a low voice that sent shivers down her spine, he added "We can sneak out after everyone has gone asleep."

"But we—"

"Come on, Roguey," he urged, massaging her scalp with his thieving fingers. "When was the last time you and I misbehaved?"

Thinking back, she realized it had been quite some time since they had partook in some misbehavior. Not that she could really concentrate; Remy was too close, his scent too powerful, his lips too near.

She really needed to learn how to resist the man.

But then Rogue remembered she could never really think of a decent reason to resist him. Resistance was boring. Giving into what Remy wanted usually led to good things happening. Why should one late night rendezvous be any different?

Rogue nodded, peeking up at him though her lashes. "Okay."

His smile was rakish as be closed the distance between them for a kiss.

Misbehaving with Remy LeBeau was always _so _fun.


	3. The Dance

**Gosh, you guys are so good to me. **

**fumblingwords: Fan art for me? Or just fan art in general? Either way, I simply MUST see it when it's finished! That is unless you don't want to share. I understand. Either way, thank you. **

**Brsrk: I missed you, buddy. **

**Zany: Of course I know Sweet Misbehavin'. After you mentioned it, I had to go and listen to it. **

**Ulcassi: your question about Remy's powers will be answered in later chapters. Promise. **

**H. K. Rissing: well thank you for referring me to your friends. AND YOUR CAPS LOCK IS APPRECIATED.**

**Thanks bunches for everyone who reviewed. And for everyone is reading. Seriously. I can't thank you enough. And I may have some news for you all in the near future. So look out for that. But enough of my ramblings. **

**Enjoy this new chappie!**

**P.S.—if you aren't reading "Only Trying To Help" by LaylaYuy, then I highly suggest you go read that…as soon as you finish this chapter of course. LaylaYuy, that last chapter had me squealing like a fangirl. I LOVED it. Please keep up the good work. **

**XXXXX**

With a half smirk, Remy watched Rogue's eyes survey the room, wondering just what her reaction would be. Eventually, she turned to him with a lofty brow raised, her expression skeptical.

"You brought me dancin'," she stated flatly.

He nodded. "_Oui_."

"I snuck out the mansion and shimmied out a window in this stupid dress so you could take me dancin'?" she asked, pulling her hand from his so she could place it on her hip.

"It's a lovely dress."

"Remy…" she growled warningly.

He chose to ignore the warning. "It was also a lovely sight to watch you shimmy out that window in this little black number." He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her flush against him. "And it means so much that you are wearin' my gloves tonight too. It's not every day I have beautiful women gettin' all dolled up jus' for _moi_."

"It's not every day but it is some days?" Rogue challenged, her lips twisted in a wry smirk.

Remy nodded, brushing his nose against hers. "_Oui_, but you're my favorite."

"You flatter a girl," she drawled sarcastically.

"Remy is quite the charmer."

"That's one way to describe you."

"Come dance wit' me, Anna."

"Is usin' my real name absolutely necessary?"

"Dance wit' me," he repeated, undeterred.

"I can't dance. I have two left feet."

"I'm aware."

"Gee thanks."

"Dance wit' me anyway."

"Why?"

"Because," he answered simply.

"Because why?"

"Because," he repeated.

"Because why?" she repeated.

"Because."

"Because why?"

"I could do this all night, you know," he informed her patiently.

"I'm datin' a child."

"Maybe. But at least I'm a _sexy _child. So will you please dance wit' me?"

Rogue looked skeptical. Sighing, Remy nodded over at a table on the other side of the room. "What if I feed you first?"

This seemed to please her. "Sounds like we got a deal, Cajun."

XXXXX

Rogue decided that even if there was dancing, Remy had found a very nice place. The food was good. The atmosphere soothing. A girl with a honey-over-gravel voice crooned while a band accompanied her. It reminded her of the sort of clubs she saw in old movies. The clubs where cigarette smoke filled the room and whiskey burned the throats of men who were there to make shady deals. There was no smoke but Remy said the whisky was good.

It was sort of like being in an old movie. Everything was so languid. So mature. They were the youngest ones there, but they blended well in their black attire. For once, Rogue did not look so out of place while wearing the gorgeous gloves Remy had given her and little black dress. In her seat, she swayed to the blues-y music the singer cooed out to the crowd. Some danced. Others sat at the small tables and ate. Others mulled about and talked. Flirted.

She looked over at Remy, who was watching the couples slow dancing. He shot her not-so-subtle pleading looks. Rogue had no clue that her boyfriend cared so much about dancing, but she found it endearing.

What was not endearing was how he kept lightly kicking her under the table, not so gently urging her to get up and dance with him. She would dance. Eventually.

For now, though, she was enjoying watching him squirm. But she really wished he would cut it out with the kicking.

She pushed her white bangs out of her face, once again surprised how long her hair had grown. She glanced over at Remy, shocked at how short his hair was now. She looked down at the short length of her dress, her long pale legs and high heeled shoes she never thought she would wear. She looked at the man seated across from her, taking a few seconds to marvel at how their relationship had grown. To think that it started off with him attempting to blow her hand off and now she would—she had risked her life to keep him safe. She thought of her new uniform.

Everything had changed so much and she had scarcely noticed. It all just happened and she had been taken along for the ride. Now she sat in some sort of jazz club contemplating her life. Now she wondered when life would stop dragging her along and when she would take charge. When she would stop being so passive.

Beneath the table, Remy kicked her. She kicked him back.

"Rogue."

She looked at him. "What?"

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"

She shrugged. "Stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Just…stuff."

He gave her a funny look. "Don't s'pose you gonna tell ol' Remy 'bout this 'stuff,' are you?"

"You suppose correct."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Well…do you know what'll take your mind off that stuff?"

"Dancin'?" she asked innocently.

"_Oui_. You are a mind reader, _mon Coeur_." He rose out of his seat, bowing lavishly. He offered Rogue his hand. "So dance wit' me."

She gave him a wry grin. "You aren't gonna pester me about the stuff I'm thinkin' about?"

He shook his head as her gloved hand met his. He pulled her to her feet and to the center of the dance floor. Once there, he pulled her snug against his body, his hand on her lower back while the other continued to cradle her hand. "_Non_, I'll only bother you wit' one thing at a time."

"You're so kind."

"Sarcasm?"

Her smile kicked up a notch. "Of course."

"It's why I love you."

"That's why?"

"Well, one reason among many," he murmured, pulling her against him a little tighter.

"You are disgustin'."

"You love me for or despite that?"

She smiled up at him sweetly, batting her eyelashes. "Don't be silly, sugah. I keep you around for those washboard abs and nothin' else."

"I'd be hurt but I don't mind keepin' you around jus' for your body, too," he threw right back with a rakish smile. His hand slipped lower down her back. Rogue quickly reached back and put his hand on a spot that was more appropriate for polite company. She glared at him and he laughed.

"Slut," she hissed.

He shrugged. "Your slut. Plus, you started it."

"You're still a slut."

"Your slut," he reminded her, undeterred by her insult. "'Sides, how many sluts do you know that would take his girl out dancin'?"

"What is it with you and dancin' anyway?"

"I always did like a chance to pull a lovely lady close and sway wit' her to good music. Not somethin' I would do every day, but I think it's a nice thing to do once every blue moon," he answered honestly.

"And why am I just now findin' this out?"

"Had to be sure you were completely enamored wit' my washboard abs before I dared to ask you out to somethin' like dancing."

She had a snappy comeback for him. She so loved that most of their conversations were nothing but the two of them throwing insults and jokes back and forth, one trying to one-up the other. And they did this all while _actually_ conversing in an almost civil manner. So when he made his comment about his washboard abs and her not so secret infatuation with them, she had something equally witty to say.

But something vibrated against her leg, halting their slow dance. As the vibrations continued, Rogue glanced down between them with a raised eyebrow. Remy smiled abashedly.

"_Desole_, Anna." He pulled away just enough to reach into his pocket. He pulled out his scarcely used cell phone, looking down at the caller ID. The smile slipped from his face, his hands dropping from around Rogue. "I gotta take this."

She was going to ask who called but he was already walking away, the phone pressed to his ear. Rogue watched him go, stunned at the sudden departure and the chill that slipped around her body at the loss of his heat. After a few too many seconds, she realized she stood motionless among dancers and quietly slinked back to her seat.

She watched Remy across the room. He seemed torn between delight and anxiousness. Never for a moment did she consider it was another woman—he was a daring man, but he wasn't suicidal to try and pull that kind of stunt—but she was deeply interested as to who he was speaking with. Remy _never_ used a cell phone. There weren't that many people he needed to contact and if he did, it sure as hell wasn't via phone call. And if he needed to reach someone, he usually just showed up unannounced. He just kept the phone on him for X-Men related emergencies.

That and to occasionally send Rogue inappropriate photo that made her blush tomato red.

So who in the world could he be speaking to?

She watched him from their table, picking at her food but not really hungry. Not anymore. Though consumed in his conversation, he constantly sent her apologetic looks over his shoulder. He seemed to be trying to end his call as soon as possible, but the person on the other end refused to let him go. She simply offered him a tight but understanding smile.

After just over ten minutes did he finally bid the caller "adieu" and hang up. Stuffing the phone into the recesses of his pockets once more, he returned to Rogue with his signature dazzling smile.

"Sorry 'bout that," he said, casually as can be. He reached out and pulled her to her feet once more, spinning her onto the dance floor. "Now where were we?"

Rogue allowed herself to be twirled, surprised he didn't seem interested in offering any sort of explanation. She waited until she was spun back into him before she raised any questions.

"Uh…Rems?"

He smiled languidly. "Mm?"

"If you don't mind my askin'…I know it ain't technically any of my business…but, uh, who was that who just called you?"

If she had asked this question back when the first began dating, she may have missed it. She may have missed that brief flash of something pass through his eyes. She never would have noticed that his easygoing smile very nearly faltered. His poker face may be fantastic, but she was his girlfriend and took notice of these things. But just as quickly as his façade slipped, Remy was able to pull it together. She almost missed it.

Almost.

"Oh, that?" he asked, his tone conversational. "That was Henri."

She halted their dance, stunned. "Henri?"

"_Oui_."

"As in your brother?"

"_Oui_, _mon_ _frere_."

"The brother in New Orleans?"

"Not like I have any more family anywhere else, _Cherie_."

"But…." Her eyebrows pulled together. "I thought after that whole…weddin' thing, you weren't allowed to speak or visit or have any contact wit' your family, right?"

"Well…."

"You were banished or exiled or whatever and you were forbidden to acknowledge them, right?"

"The thing is…."

"And they were forbidden from acknowledgin' you as one of their own, right?"

"Err…."

"_And_," she continued, feeling anger rise in her chest at the potentially very stupid thing her boyfriend was doing, "if you were caught communicatin' with them in any way, shape, or form, you could be _killed_. Right?"

"Um…."

"And if someone contacts you, both of you could be killed for breakin' some pact or understandin' or contract or something, right?"

"Rogue…."

"And you could get like, double murdered for communicatin' with them _and_ for breakin' the marriage contract, right?"

"When you say it like that…."

"_Remy!"_

She said this loud enough, several couples turned to look at the two of them, not dancing. Rogue managed to calm herself just enough to keep her voice down. She allowed Remy to lead them back into a dance, but she stared up at him with demanding green eyes.

"What the hell are you doin', Remy LeBeau?"

His hand ran up and down the length of her back in a manner that was supposed to be soothing. On this particular night, it did not work.

"Not too long after the Essex incident," he began in a hushed tone, "Henri contacted me. Heard through the grapevine 'bout the doc's assumed death in New York and had a bad feelin' I mighta had somethin' to do wit' it."

"So he called you?"

"_Oui_."

"How was he even able to find you?"

Remy gave her a dry look. "Well, he is a part of family of highly trained thieves whose job it is to get information they ain't s'posed to have. Not to mention, it ain't like it's a secret I'm workin' wit' the X-Men now."

"Right. Stupid question on my behalf." Her frown returned. "So he called to see if you were okay or somethin'?"

"Somethin' like that. It was jus' s'posed to be one call. Jus' one to make sure I was okay and that was the end of it. But Rogue…he…I…we…." He sighed. "I miss my brother, Rogue."

"Remy…."

"Can't help it. Now, every once in a while, he calls to check in on me. I never contact him. He reaches me through a secure line. We don' talk all that long. But I miss my brother and my family and my _Tante _and Mercy and I wanna know how they're doin' and…" He shrugged helplessly. "I can't help myself, Rogue."

She squeezed his hand a little tighter. "Remy…you could be killed. You're puttin' your life and Henri's in danger."

"I know what I'm doin'. I won't get caught."

"Remy, that's too dangerous a gamble. And when, exactly did you plan on mentionin' to me that you were speakin' to your family again?"

"I was gettin' 'round to it. But Henri started callin' when you—when we were still healin'. It jus' seemed that wit' everything else we were dealin' wit' post-Essex, the last thing you needed to do was worry 'bout my family drama."

"You shoulda told me, Rem."

"I promise you, _Cherie_, I was goin' to. I didn' think it'd be such a big deal though."

"Of course it's a big deal!" she hollered.

Again, heads turned in their direction. Remy shushed her.

"Of course it's a big deal," she repeated, quieter. "You're riskin' your life for a couple of minutes on the phone. Riskin' your brother's life too."

"I miss my brother, Rogue," he said sadly. "I miss my family."

"You mean the same family that was fine with you bein' married to that _stupid _Bella-whatever-her-name-is and then runnin' you outta your home for good? The same family that used you for _years _for your powers? That family?"

"That was primarily Jean-Luc, Rogue. And they're still my family. I can't jus' turn my back on my family."

"You can if they turned their back on you," she hissed, desperate. She felt like crying and punching him. How could he be so reckless with his life? Why didn't he understand?

Remy just shook his head. "You don' get it, darlin'."

"What don't I get, _sugah_?" She knew Remy was fond of that endearment, but she made sure to say it in a manner that was anything but endearing.

"The whole…family thing." Again, he shrugged. "Before the X-Men, you didn' exactly have the best family dynamic. So maybe you jus'…don' quite understand wantin' to make those kinda risks."

Rogue pulled back like she had been slapped, eyes spitting fire. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Swamp Rat?"

Remy quickly seemed to realize his mistake. He hastily pulled her back into his arms, holding her close despite her quiet protests. He hugged her to his body, his hand stroking the back of her head. He murmured soothing words in French, his lips on her forehead.

"_Non, non Cherie. Desole. _M'sorry. That ain't how I meant it." He kissed her once more. "It ain't your fault that Mystique screwed you over. It ain't your fault that you didn' get the lovin' family you deserved. You got me and the X-Men and Logan and Kitty and Kurt now and we love you. _I_ love you. _Je t'aime_. All I meant was that we grew up in two worlds that were alike but also very different. So maybe you jus' don' have the same perspective as me. That's what I meant. _Desole_."

She dragged in a deep breath, the anger in her evaporating. But the anxiousness was still there. "Remy…"

"I don' wanna fight, Rogue," he whispered. He hugged her tighter. "Yell at me tomorrow but I don't wanna fight tonight. Please jus' dance wit' me. I don' wanna fight."

All protest died on her lips at his plea. Sighing deeply, Rogue wrapped her arms around Remy, returning his embrace that evolved into a slow dance. She let the fight go, a crisis narrowly avoided.

But something in the pit of her stomach told her this dance was the beginning of something bad. She really hoped she was wrong. She really hoped that for once everything was okay. She really hoped that, just this once, a dance was just a dance.

**XXXXX**

**Before we begin the debate about this almost fight Rogue and Remy had, I just wanted to throw in my two cent: **

**I don't think either one of them are wrong. They just have different perspectives. Rogue is the concerned girlfriend, who sees the man she almost lost not so long ago putting his life in danger again for the family that threw him out. She loves him and is worried. On the other hand, Remy is living very far away from home after having to leave very abruptly. Despite the strained relationship with his family, they are still his family and he still loves and misses them. A chance, even in the form of an occasional phone call, to reconnect with that family is fabulous so I understand how he could find it worth the risk. Both have valid points. I don't want either one of them to be the "bad guy" in this almost fight. **

**Anyway….**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Rogue and Logan have a chat. **


	4. The Opportunity

**Yay! I updated again!**

**I just know that I am about to be a very busy young lady and I need to get as many chapters as I can before real life starts kicking me in the teeth. So here it is. A very conversation heavy chapter. One that will have a lot of relevance by the story's end. So stick with me on this. I have SO much planned and I am so excited. I gotta make this finale fantastic. **

**And I promise to respond to the reviews you guys submitted for this **_**and **_**the last chapter when I post the next chapter. But for now, let's get straight to the story. **

**Enjoy!**

**XXXXX**

"I couldn't sleep."

That was her excuse, anyway.

When Rogue padded downstairs in the early hours of the morning, clad in her pajamas, the very last thing she thought she would encounter would be any of her teammates. Unless they had to (and they often had to) no one woke up at such an ungodly hour. She thought she would be able to get something to eat uninterrupted before the rest of the mansion woke up.

So she was surprised to find Logan in the kitchen, seeming to be expecting her.

"I couldn't sleep."

Her excuse was a half-truth. She sincerely could not sleep. But she hadn't been trying to sleep long, for she and Remy snuck back in from their dancing excursion just over an hour before. After he gave her a kiss on the forehead and bid her a goodnight, she lay in her bed, thinking. Thinking of their almost-but-not-quite fight. Trying to understand his perspective but unable to comprehend how he'd be willing to risk his life for the family that had thrown him away. Knowing that despite the fact they managed to calm themselves down, the issue was not resolved. Just pushed aside. And she knew that it would be very hard to come to some sort of middle ground on such an issue. She lay in bed thinking about the passive role she had in her own life, knowing she wanted to change things but not knowing how to. Or even what she wanted.

The only thing she knew she wanted was a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

So Rogue gave up on sleeping and crept downstairs, expecting to be perfectly alone. Instead, she found Logan seated at the kitchen table, a glass of…was that strawberry milk? She was pretty sure he had a glass of strawberry milk in front of him. That and the very sandwich she came down for in the first place. They stared at each other for a few seconds before she blurted out:

"I couldn't sleep."

Logan only snorted. "I heard you and Gumbo sneak in."

She made a face. "Err…."

"Or, he amended, "I heard _you_ sneak in. Gumbo is quiet as a mouse but you need to practice on your stealth."

"He's tryin' to teach me a little bit of what he knows. I'm still learnin'," she admitted shyly.

"Obviously."

"Am I in trouble?"

Logan only grunted again, looking down at his sandwich. "Hungry?"

Rogue nodded.

"Sit," he ordered.

Rogue pulled out a chair and sat across from him. She saw that the sandwich was already cut in half and without hesitation reached over and took half. Logan mimicked her and they ate in companionable silence for a few minutes. She was the one to break the silence.

"What are you doin' up?" she asked.

He gave her a wry smile. "You mean besides waitin' for you and the Cajun to bring your butts back home?"

"Besides that," she said with an abashed smile.

"Thinkin'. What're you doin' up?"

She shrugged. "Thinkin'."

"'Bout?"

Again, she shrugged. Logan took a sip of his strawberry milk—she couldn't believe he was actually drinking strawberry milk—before leveling his gaze with hers.

"Is it Gumbo? Did he do somethin' stupid?"

"Nothin' stupider than usual."

"You want me to cut his head off?"

"Nah, not this time. Thanks though."

"Just say the word."

That brought a smile to her face. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You two fightin'?"

"Kinda."

"You're always fightin'."

"Yeah, but this time I don't think it's a joke."

He drank more of his strawberry freaking milk. Rogue still couldn't believe that. "This a new development?"

"Pretty new."

"So?" he probed.

"So we see how it plays out, I guess," she mumbled. Her eyes were glued to the plate, her fingers pushing bread crumbs around idly to keep from staring directly at Logan. Looking at him always made it way too easy to talk about every little thought that was kept her awake. She wasn't sure what it was. It may have been the fact she loved him like a father. Maybe that he had spent so many years getting people to reveal information he wanted to know. Maybe both.

Probably both.

She also kept from looking at him because that strawberry milk thing was seriously freaking her out.

Even though she wasn't looking right at him, she saw Logan tilt his head and watch her carefully. Oddly enough, it didn't unnerve her.

"Somethin' else is botherin' you," he said. It wasn't a question. He knew. And she had no desire to deny it either.

"Yeah."

"What is it?"

She shrugged.

"Rogue."

"Yeah?"

"What's goin' on in that two-toned head of yours?"

"It's just…." She let out a long breath. "I'm goin' through that typical angsty teenage thing."

He simply lifted an eyebrow. She made an extravagant gesture.

"You know," she told him, waving her hands around in a manner that offered no real explanation. "That thing that teenagers do where they wonder 'who am I, where am I goin', what am I doin', blah, blah, blah.'"

"Yeah, but you're almost twenty," the older man pointed out.

Rogue rolled her eyes. "So I'm a late bloomer. Sue me."

"Fair 'nough."

"It's just…after the whole Essex thing, so many things started changin'. And I'm watchin' it all happen and I'm goin' along with it, but I don't know how to start pickin' what kinda changes are gonna happen in my life. I look at Jean and Scott, who are goin' to school, which is cool but I don't think that's for me. And Kitty is startin' to really get into computer stuff and she's kinda really amazin' at it and a total computer wiz. Kurt has some new fascination with swords so now he's gettin' Betsy to start teachin' him how to use them. Remy keeps himself occupied doin' Lord only knows what and robbin' Lord only knows who blind."

Logan's other eyebrow rose at this bit of information and Rogue realized her mistake. She bit her lip.

"Can we just pretend like I didn't say that last part?"

He gave her a look that spoke volumes, but, to her utter delight, he let it drop. "So what do any of these changes have to do with you, Stripes?"

"It's just…." She picked at the crumbs on her plate. "I wanna change too and I just don't know how to."

When Logan did not respond for a long time, Rogue looked up at him. He had adopted a contemplative look on his face, his calloused fingers tapping against his glass.

His glass of strawberry milk.

Freaky.

He didn't say anything for a very long and she didn't push. That was something she really liked about hers and Logan's relationship. Most of the time, he treated her like he treated any of the other X-kids, with the sort of affection only a mother hen pumping with testosterone and an anger problem could provide. But when it mattered most, they both managed to be there for the other in the simplest of ways. No one pushed. No one demanded answers. It all came naturally. Sometimes it was standing out in the snow while she smoked a cigarette.

Or maybe it was while eating a peanut and butter jelly sandwich.

Either way, Rogue really appreciated that Logan never asked anything of her. And in return, on the rare occasion, she was able to provide him with comfort when he needed a brief moment of vulnerability.

So she didn't say anything while he thought. She just finished her sandwich and continued to wonder about the pink milk he was drinking. And after some minutes, he finally spoke up.

"Wanna know what I was thinkin' 'bout?" he asked.

Rogue nodded. "Sure."

"I'm not actually supposed to tell you about this. Not yet."

"Tell me about what?"

"Chuck and I were thinkin' 'bout makin' some changes around here," he began slowly.

"Changes?" She frowned. "What kind of changes?"

"In a couple of weeks, we're gettin' a load of new recruits. And we were thinkin' about goin' in a slightly different direction when it came to trainin' them." His blue eyes met her green ones and seemed to pin her in her seat. "Chuck still wants me and Ororo and Hank to supervise. But he wants some of the senior members to lead, train, and pick a team."

Rogue wasn't quite understanding where he was going with this. "Okay…."

"It's still in the works," he continued, his tone off-hand now. "But we were thinkin' about who might be headin' these teams."

Now it was beginning to click in her mind. "Logan…?"

"Summers was the natural first pick. Jean too. We tossed around a few other ideas. For a second we even considered Bobby before we realized that was an awful idea. There was only one other candidate that stood out for us."

"Oh, no way…."

"Why not?" He smiled a little. "You'd be one hell of a leader. Definitely one of our oldest and strongest members."

"No way…."

"You can pick your team. Kitty or Kurt or Lorna or…" He grunted grumpily. "Or Gumbo. You two seem to work well together."

"No way…."

"There are privileges, too. Your own room. Not monitored as strictly. More freedom."

"No way?" she asked, finally sounding more enthused. Logan's grin grew.

"More responsibility though, too."

"Meh," she replied, the enthusiasm dying.

"I think it'd be good for you, Stripes. And you are lookin' for pavin' your own way, aren't you?"

She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Runnin' your very own team might be a good first step," he went on.

"…do you think I could do somethin' like that, Logan?"

"I was the one who recommended you in the first place."

His confession touched her, it truly did. But she made no show of letting him know how much his faith in her meant. As close as they were, anything terribly sentimental between them only caused for an awkward moment that they both were eager to get away from. So she just assumed her small smile and his understanding of her would be enough to convey her gratitude.

Pushing his chair back, Logan climbed to his feet. He stretched, yawning. "Of course, we're still workin' the whole thing out. Nothin's definite yet." He gave her a sidelong look. "Still, I think it's somethin' you might wanna consider. Just in case."

He picked up his strawberry milk, lifted it to his lips, paused, and then glared at her over the glass.

"But you didn't hear it from me," he added gruffly.

"Hear what?" Rogue asked innocently, batting her eyelashes.

"That's my girl." With that, he chugged the last of his milk before placing the glass in the sink. "I'm goin' to bed. You should too. Get some sleep." He gave her a look that was dangerously close to a glare. "Preferably without the Cajun in your bed."

"I have no clue what you could be talkin' 'bout," she told him, her eyes deceptively large and guiltless.

He grinned at her, the affection he felt for her smoldering in his sapphire eyes. "Goodnight, Stripes."

"Hey, Logan?"

"What?"

She hesitated, her eyes darting over to the sink and back to him. For a very long moment, she considered not asking. But when he just stared at her inquisitively, she drew in a deep breath and took the dive.

"What's up with you and the strawberry milk? I mean…" She flailed her hands desperately. "It's just so...pink and you're so…" She gestured at him. "So you."

Instead of becoming insulted, or, at the very least, confused by her odd question, he said in a matter-of-fact tone "Any man can drink a beer and feel proud. It takes someone who's really secure with his masculinity to drink somethin' pink."

**XXXXX**

**The more I write this story, the more I realize that while it will have all the Romy fun you guys love, it will also have a lot to do with Rogue's development into her own woman. Finding her own way and whatnot. Of course that won't be our only focus but I feel like, by the time I spit out the last chapter and then the mini-sequel, Rogue will have truly developed into her own woman. I feel like while it is a romantic Romy story, it's Rogue's story. If it makes any sense. Which it might not. **

**And that little tidbit I mentioned about Kurt and Kitty? In the comics, Kitty is, in fact, a computer wiz. And Kurt is known to be quite handy with a sword. There's no reason that while Remy and Rogue have center stage to not mention the goings on of the other X-Men. **

**Anyway. **

**NEXT CHAPTER: We meet the foxxy new X-Men. **


	5. The Foxx

**Hey, everyone. Miss me? **

**Nice seeing you again, Brsk. **

**Zelda2h2: I'm so glad you're enjoying this! And Story Time With Remy LeBeau will always be a favorite of mine. **

**Xmengal: Thanks for the review. It was greatly appreciated. **

**Zany: Thanks again for reviewing. And I greatly appreciated your breakdown of the plots/Remy and Rogue's psyche. It was on point and interesting to hear from your perspective. **

**Whitechocolate14: Emma is just around. She and Scott are kinda-sorta thinking about dating, but after he broke up with Jean, nothing is definite. She hasn't had anything major happen, but she pops up from time to time. And no, it isn't Silver Foxx, but good guess. **

**Hawaiian Snow: I have been reading X-Men Legacy. Holy moly, do I love it! I kinda hate Rogue's new costume (it's that stupid scarf) but it's great. **

**H.K. Rissing: Glad I could be of service =) If there's anything that I can do to help ya out, just shoot me a message. **

**fumblingwords: Your art was FANTASTIC. I looked at your other stuff and you are so crazy talented. I'm flattered I was able to help inspire you. **

**Everyone else, all of your reviews are read and appreciated. Thank you so much guys. I hope you enjoy. **

**XXXXX**

Rogue was wearing her gloves again, which meant he was in trouble.

One thing that Remy really appreciated about his girlfriend was that she was very vocal about her feelings. It was never a guessing game with Rogue. When he was still with Belladonna, he never knew what he was doing wrong. She would all of the sudden be giving him the silent treatment or throwing an expensive vase at his head for some offense he was not even remotely aware of.

But Rogue let him know exactly what was bothering her. Sometimes she threw things too, but at least he knew what a combat boot was being tossed at his head.

However, she indicated her sour feelings in a different way too. Subtler ways. Like wearing gloves.

It took some time, but Remy understood that gloves were Rogue's comfort. She didn't always wear them but sometimes when she was feeling particularly vulnerable, she did. And after their dance, she had been wearing them again. Which meant that while she may not have been seething with rage, everything between them was not perfect again.

Remy didn't know how to right it, either.

On the surface, everything was okay. They were normal on the surface. But then she would kiss him and he would pull away just a moment too soon. He would reach for her hand and her fingers would so slowly slip from his. It didn't help that he was still receiving phone calls from Henri. Most of the time, it was when he was in private. But from time to time, he and Rogue would be pressed together when his phone rang. He tried to ignore it and she tried to not mind but the tension was very much there.

He wanted to find a middle ground to make them both happy, but he could not think of one. He wanted to talk to his brother and she didn't want him to. How were the supposed to resolve this?

Not like there was a whole lot of time to find a resolution. In the last couple of weeks, the mansion was abuzz in preparation for a handful of new students they were getting. Rumors were flying of coming changes. Remy paid no attention to these rumors; he was more interested in Rogue.

He saw that she and Logan were speaking privately a lot. Like they were sharing a secret. Planning something. Something he didn't know about.

And Remy LeBeau so hated to not know about a secret.

Plus, he was not so fond of the badger getting more time with his girlfriend than him. Not to say that he was jealous. Remy was not the jealous type. Not by any means. No way. But could you blame a guy for being a little anxious when he saw the woman he loved constantly talking to another man?

He assured himself he had nothing to be afraid of. It was just Logan; an older man with lots of muscles and a motorcycle and some self control issues. It wasn't like Rogue was into that kind of guy, right?

…right?

And anyway, it was a perfectly rational and natural reaction to see the two of them together, speaking in hushed voices and wanting to blow something up. Blow something big up.

Remy LeBeau was not, by any means, jealous.

He just wanted to know what in the blue hell was going on with his Rogue.

Not like there was very much time to investigate. For the arrival of the new students distracted almost everyone from whatever personal issues they may have. The arrival of the new recruits also marked that the X-Men officially had a team member with every hair color imaginable.

Jean was the red head. Emma was the blonde. Kitty was the brunet. Betsy was the one with the purple hair and Lorna the one with the green. Rogue had her two tones. Ororo had her snow white locks.

Now there was an adorable girl named Megan with bright pink hair. The kind of pink that gave Remy a headache and made Kitty squeal with glee. Megan called herself Pixie and beyond the pixie-like wings on her back, Remy had no clue what her powers may be.

Besides flight and the ability to give him a migraine with just one look at her head.

Then there was a boy, Quentin Somethingoranother. Remy didn't know the boy's name, nor did he care. The kid rubbed him the wrong way. He was a powerful telepath from what Remy had gathered and that resulted in the boy having an ego so massive it rivaled….

Well, it rivaled Remy's massive ego.

But Remy's ego was well-liked and handsome and capable of humility. Quentin, with his purple mohawk that Remy just knew wasn't natural, was an arrogant little snot that looked down on his fellow classmates in a way that didn't sit well with the thief. He had a bad feeling about Quentin.

Besides. Remy was perfectly capable of filling the arrogance quota at the Xavier Institute without the help of some child who thought he was ready to play with the big boys.

That and Betsy's purple hair looked much nicer than Quentin's.

One-Eye's brother from Hawaii (Remy didn't even know Scott _had _a Hawaiian brother) had also joined their ranks. The blond seemed to much less annoying than his stick-in-the-ass older brother and had become fast friends with Bobby and Lorna. The trio seemed like a solid one, but Remy doubted they would last too long.

He noticed the way Alex gave Lorna sidelong looks when he thought no one was watching.

There was another blonde among them now. A cute one with a big smile who was always singing to herself. Remy met her when he damn near crashed into her when she came rollerblading—_rollerblading_!—through the foyer. She giggled and introduced herself as Alison.

"But you can call me Dazzler," she added, winking her pretty blue eyes at him.

She was sweet and cute as a button and annoying as sin. Remy imagined she and Kitty would be fast friends. Which meant he would have two adorable preps to grate his nerves.

Fantastic.

The girl Tessa Sage though…he liked her. She was quiet, but he was able to tell it was not from shyness. Sage was smart and analytical. He thought, though he wasn't positive, that her powers were centered around her mind. How she gathered information. He didn't know though. Sage had beautiful, dark hair.

Sooraya, the quiet Muslim girl garbed head to toe in a hijab, said very little though. Whereas Sage was quiet because she was observant, Sooraya was silent because she was shy and uncomfortable. Remy had barely heard her utter a sound beyond the word "dust." He thought maybe he just imagined it because that was such an odd thing to say.

And finally, there was the girl who simply wanted to be called Foxx. She was a lovely girl in her own way. Her skin rivaled Rogue's in paleness but that was where the similarities ended. Her eyes were a bright yellow, bright enough for Remy to notice despite being on the opposite side of the room. Her long, straight hair was a darker shade of sky blue and framed her face in a complimentary manner, falling to her waist. Despite her odd features, she was an exotic beauty.

The few times she looked at Remy, it was with a flirtatious little smile. Cute as she may be, he was uninterested in any possible advances. He had his Rogue.

His Rogue, who was once again speaking to Logan in a hushed voice.

Everyone was mulling about the common area, getting to know one another. True to his nature, Remy chose to hang back and watch, rather than interact. His eyes watched his old and new teammates, trying to get a feel for how well they may or may not mesh. But eventually, his red and black eyes found themselves on Rogue and Logan once more.

What were those two up to?

XXXXX

Rogue had entered the common room so she could get acquainted with her new teammates, something that was normally not her style. Usually, whenever they got new recruits, she would just meet the newbies whenever they happened to bump into each other. She had never actively sought out anyone's attention.

Except for that time before Remy joined the X-Men, but whatever. He was stalking her so it was partly his fault anyway. Totally didn't count.

Any other time, Rogue would not have made an attempt to meet her new teammates. Any other time, she would have stuck around long enough for the Professor to make formal introductions before heading to her room to read. Or maybe participate in some alone time with Remy LeBeau.

Except she and Remy weren't on the best terms at the moment.

Rogue shook the thought and forced herself to focus on why she was here in the first place. She had been unable to stop thinking about her and Logan's conversation from a couple of weeks prior. The opportunity to start her own team. She wasn't sure if she wanted that for herself but she didn't want to rule it out either.

Which is why she was here. To meet and greet and see if she saw any potential teammates. See if she could see herself taking charge.

On and off, she and Logan would speak. He would give her updates on the possible new teams. A small word of advice here and there. Nothing was official quite yet but she was on her toes.

So the southerner entered the common area with the rest of the X-Men. Instantly, she felt someone's eyes on her. She did not have to turn around to know it was her boyfriend. He always stared at her whenever she entered a room.

Only this time, she made no effort to return his eye contact. They still were not on the best of terms, though she could not say they were exactly fighting. Everything was very tense. Both of them seemed to be waiting for the other to make the first move. What that first move would entail, she had no clue. All she knew was, until something erupted, nothing between them would be quite right.

It probably didn't help that Remy was acting like a jealous five year old. He thought she wasn't aware, but she could read him pretty well. And she knew that her conversations with Logan were driving him insane. He liked to pretend he wasn't the jealous type but the fact was, if he didn't have Rogue's complete and undivided attention, he would have a fit.

She mentally rolled her eyes.

Big baby.

He could deny it all he wanted, but her talking to Logan probably made him so frustrated, he would want to blow something up.

Something big.

It was, like Remy, both amusing and frustrating.

Before she could get too far into the room, Logan appeared out of nowhere and dragged her into a private corner. As he did so, Rogue could have sworn she felt Remy's eyes narrow.

How she was able to feel his eyes narrowing from across the room she was not certain of. She just chalked it up to another oddity of their relationship.

"What's up, Logan?" she asked, one they were out of earshot. Not like anyone was really paying attention. Everyone was gathered around the new kids, blabbering on about things Rogue could have cared less about.

"You volunteered to show some of the newbies on a tour of the mansion," he informed her.

Her eyebrows shot up. "I did?"

"I volunteered you, that is."

Oh, geez. All she planned on doing was stopping in and being a little friendly. Now all the sudden she had to give a tour. Still, she managed to keep her cool. "And why would you do that?"

"Chuck wants to see how you handle takin' charge of a group, even if it's in some small way like a tour. Plus, we're tryin' to see how you and the others might get along."

"Does that mean we're definitely gettin' those new teams?"

He shook his head. "Not until we see how y'all handle this."

"This bein' the tour?"

Logan gave her a secretive little smile.

Somewhere, across the room, she felt Remy's eyes narrow into two glowing, dangerous slits.

"The tour," he confirmed. "But it wouldn't hurt if you sorta…mentored some of these kids. Not that I'm suggestin' or hintin' at anythin', but it could be somethin' in your favor."

Rogue returned his little smile. "I see."

"And one word of advice, kid."

"Yeah?"

"I get that you and the Cajun are…" His nose wrinkled in the beginning of a snarl. "In love or whatever, but now that we have the newbies around, it couldn't hurt if you two turned down the PDA. Just a little."

XXXXX

Remy, in a fit that was not related to jealousy whatsoever, decided that perhaps he should take a walk instead of sticking around to watch his girlfriend smile and whisper with Logan. Especially when Remy was perfectly capable of smiling and whispering just as much as the badger was.

Hell, Remy was _fantastic _at smiling and whispering. If there was an award to given for those two talents, he would have won it long ago. And if he didn't win the award, he would have just stolen it.

Which is pretty much like winning it.

So Remy took a nice, long, not-related-to-jealousy walk. Just enough to clear his head and banish the thoughts of blowing up Logan's skeleton. By the time he returned, most of the residence had scattered from the common room. The only ones left were the same faces he had been seeing for months.

But no Rogue.

Which meant it was time for one of Remy's favorite activities: looking for and finding Rogue so he could pester her until she either kissed him or threatened to decapitate him.

It was always a fifty-fifty gamble as to which one she would do. And Remy so loved to gamble.

He poked his head in her room, but she was not there. Nor was she in the kitchen or the garage or the roof or the Danger Room or the rec room or the bathroom or the med bay.

So Remy eventually looked in the library because he knew of no other place where his beloved could be. And, much to his relief, she was there. She was there, along with Megan and Tessa and Foxx, talking and clearly showing the girls the ins and outs of the mansion. Which was odd, because last Remy checked, his girlfriend hated doing anything this social. Last Remy checked, she would sooner let Kitty drag her to the mall before she offered a tour.

Huh. Weird.

He would figure that out later. First, he had to gamble.

As Rogue went on about the library and the others pretended to find it interesting, he walked over and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Remy!" she squeaked, surprised.

"Miss me?"

He pulled her against him so there was no distance between their bodies. She pressed her hands to his chest; he noticed that she was wearing her stupid gloves again. Choosing to not let that deter him, he smiled his most rakish smile down at her, his hands sliding lower. He worked hard to not smirk at the raised eyebrows he got from the other girls.

Except Foxx. Her yellow eyes just watched them curiously.

"Rems, what are you doin'?" she asked, her eyes darting between him and the girls.

"What do you think, _Cherie_?" he asked, dipping his head down so he could steal a kiss.

Rogue moved her lips away. "Remy don't…"

"Why not?" Again, he moved in for a kiss. Once more, Rogue moved away.

"Remy, that isn't a good idea." Again, she looked at the newbies. She seemed nervous.

He had a comment about how she didn't seem to mind very public displays of affection in the past. He even planned on referencing the Pool Table Incident. But before he could effectively embarrass his girlfriend in front of their new teammates, she quickly detangled herself from his arms, slipping just out of his reach.

And somewhere, deep down inside, his heart ached a little upon feeling the loss of her in his arms. He remembered some months ago, when it was a little colder outside, how Rogue had grown distant from him. For a moment, he feared that they were going through a similar period.

But then he saw her look into his eyes. And she saw the hurt in his eyes. And she smiled apologetically, offering him her hand. Her hand, which he gladly took. And it assured him that while things were not great, they were not that bad either.

But still. She wore those gloves. And the tension was still there.

And that Foxx girl…she still observed them in a manner that was beginning to make him curious.

"This is my boyfriend Remy, girls," Rogue began, her voice formal. "Rems, this is Tessa, Megan, and Foxx."

Still holding onto Rogue's hand, Remy bowed lavishly. "_Bonjour_, ladies."

Megan giggled, her cheeks going red. A tiny smile very nearly tugged at Tessa's lips. And Foxx smiled at him. A smile that was both predatory and flirtatious.

Without his consent, she reached and grabbed his hand, shaking it enthusiastically. She looked up into his face, batting her long eyelashes and her bottom lip poked out in what looked like the beginnings of a seductive pout.

"Hi, Remy," she said, her voice breathy. The Cajun blinked in surprise. "I'm Foxx and it is _very _nice to meet you."

**XXXXX**

**NEXT CHAPTER: Let the flirtation and intrusion begin!**


End file.
